MSc in Computing

Programme Rationale
This programme is designed for staff of the participating colleges who teach, or support teaching, in the areas of computing and information technology. It provides an opportunity for them to extend their knowledge and skills, at advanced level, in new and developing subject areas, and through this, become more effective in their teaching, research or support activities. Colleges have invested heavily in computing and information technology in the last few years and many disciplines use new tools and techniques enabled by this technology. Emphasis is now being placed on developing and upgrading the human resources to operate, control and develop these technologies by offering this suite of Masters Degree modules. The programme has been submitted to the NCEA for validation for the award of Degree of Master of Science (Computing).


Programme Panel

Lecturer Institution
Mr. John Turner DIT Bolton Street (Chairperson)
Dr. E. Ambikairajah RTC Athlone
Mr. Vincent Ryan RTC Cork
Mr. Colm Cox RTC Galway
Mr. Dennis McFadden RTC Letterkenny
Mr. Ed Sheldon RTC Tralee
Ms. Mair�ad Meagher RTC Waterford
Mr. Eamon De Leaster RTC Waterford



Approved Course Schedule

SUBJECT TITLE CONTACT
HOURS		 C.A. PROJ. WRITTEN TOTAL CREDITS
UNIX and Engineering Workstations 75 - 50 50 100 9
Real-Time Systems 75 50 - 50 100 9
Graphical User Interfaces 75 100 - - 100 9
Database Technology 75 50 50 - 100 9
Neural Networks 75 20 30 50 100 9
Artificial Intelligence 75 30 30 40 100 9
Formal Methods 75 20 40 40 100 9
Networks and Communications 75 30 30 40 100 9
Software Engineering 75 50 50 - 100 9
Image Processing 75 30 20 50 100 9
Security Cryptography 75 - 30 70 100 9
Object Oriented System Development 75 - 40 60 100 9
Project/Dissertation - - - - 100 24



The programme is part-time and modular to suit single subject certification by NCEA ACCS mode.

Modules may be taken on a single subject basis or be accumulated towards a Masters Degree. Candidates for the Masters Degree will be required to present a rational coherent grouping of four modules plus a Masters Degree level project or dissertation.

Proposals for new modules are welcome. Proposal Forms and conditions may be obtained from the Secretariat Office.



1995/96 Modules on offer

1. Real-Time Systems Engineering Contact:
Colm Cox (RTC Galway)
Apply "C" to R-T Design Constraints; Technology
of R-T Systems; Hands on Experience of Design Issues
using R-T Operating System; Apply DSP Fundamentals;
Design FET & IIR Filters in Hard and Software under R-T
Constraints; Use of FET Algorithms (Knowledge of "C" required)		 Venue(s):
RTC Galway
Dates:
18th - 22nd Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
13th - 17th May, '96
2. Database Technology Contact:
Helen McMahon (RTC Letterkenny)
Concepts of Database Technology;
Relational Database Management Systems;
Advanced Database Systems		 Venue(s):
RTC Letterkenny
Dates:
8th - 12th Jan., '96
9th - 12th Apr.,'96
20th - 24th May,'96
3. Neural Networks Contact:
Dr. E. Ambikairajah (RTC Athlone)
Fundamentals of Artificial Neural Networks;
Training of ANN's; Kohonen's Self Organising Feature
Maps; NN Processing System; Applications of ANN's
(Knowledge of "Pascal" or "C" required)		 Venue(s):
RTC Athlone
Dates:
18th - 20th Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
21 - 24th May, '96
4. Artificial Intelligence Contact:
Dr. Jeanne Stynes (RTC Cork)
Problem Solving Paradigms; Knowledge Representation
Formalisms; Expert Systems; PROLOG Programming;		 Venue(s):
RTC Cork
Dates:
18th - 22nd Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
13th - 17th May, '96
5. Formal Methods Contact:
Dr. Mair�ad Meagher (RTC Waterford)
Mathematical Foundations; Formal Specifications;
Formal Verification; Automata and Grammars;
Complexity Theory; Computability Theory		 Dates:
18th - 22nd Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
13th- 17th May, '96
6. Software Engineering Contact:
Linda McQuillan (RTC Letterkenny)
The Software Crisis; Analysis and Design; Specification; Verification and Testing; Maintenance; Project Management; Quality; Productivity; Automation; Future Tends Venue(s):
To be arranged
Dates:
18th - 22nd Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
13th- 17th May, '96
7. Image Processing Contact:
Dr. Mark Leeney (RTC Athlone)
Vision System; Image Processing; Image Restoration; Image Segmentation; Image Analysis; Image Compression; Applications Venue(s):
RTC Athlone
Dates:
8th - 12th Jan, '96
9th - 12th Apr.,'96
20th - 24th May, '96
8. Security and Cryptography Contact:
Aidan McDonald (RTC Carlow)
Operating Systems; Network Security; Classical Encryption Techniques;
Block-oriented Encryption Algorithms; Public Key Cryptography;
Authentication; File Security		 Venue(s):
RTC Carlow
Dates:
18th - 22nd Dec., '95
1st - 4th April, '96
13th- 17th May, '96
9. Object Orientated Systems Development Contact:
Joseph Keogh (RTC Carlow)
Object Orientated Programming Languages; Analysis; Design;
Implementation; OMT Methodology ; CASE Tools; Software Development Life Cycles; Methodology Survey; Re-use, Project Management; Metrics, Testing		 Venue(s):
RTC Carlow
Dates:
8th - 12th Jan., '96
9th - 12th Apr., '96
20th- 24th May, '96



More detailed syllabuses of the modules above are available from the module leader(s) or the Secretariat Office.

A Short Course (4 days) "Introduction to"C" Programming" will again be available in early September, at RTC Dundalk. Please contact John Keane or Seamus Kelly directly at School of Science for further information.

Project Guidelines and Proposal Forms are available from the Secretariat Office.

An Application Form is enclosed. Please enter the modules you would like to attend in order of preference. Modules will not run if there are insufficient numbers.

Should you wish to attempt two modules during 1995/96, please ensure that the delivery dates of the individual blocks do not clash and make separate applications for each module.